Thursday, October 22, 2009

The 1876 Brown Stockings: Redemption, Part III


The detailed account of the contest by innings, which is appended, will give readers a good idea of how the game was lost and won:

First Inning.

Chicago-Barnes, after one ball and two called strikes, was retired by Clapp on a very peculiar foul bound which first struck the batsman. Two strikes were called on Anson, next two balls, and then the long fellow reached first on McGeary's juggle. Hinew was disposed of by Pike in center field, and as Mack and Dehlman retired Spaulding, a goose egg was the result.

St. Louis-Cuthbert sent an easy bounder to Peters, and was thrown out at first. Clapp hit an easy one to Spalding, who threw miserably to first, and the striker was safe. Mcgeary earned first on a neat fair foul, sending Clapp to second. Pike's fine bounder to right brought Clapp home, gave McGeary third and the striker first. Anson made a good running catch of Battin's foul fly. Here pretty work came in. Pike started to steal second and McGeary third to come home. The ball went from White to Barnes and back again like lightning, and McGeary was disposed of at the home plate. One unearned run.

Second Inning.

Chicago-Addy was furnished a back seat by McGeary and Dehlman; White earning first on a corker to right. Battin and Dehlman retired Peters; White reaching second, where he was left, as Mack and Dehlman proved too much for Glenn. Goose egg number two.

St. Louis-Pike, after two called balls, retired on a foul bound to Bielaskie, in right field, and Battin was furnished with an out by Anson and Glenn. Blong was retired by White, on three strikes. No runs this time.

Third Inning.

Chicago-The first ball pitched was a called strike, and then Bielaskie furnished Bradley with an easy fly. Barnes also popped up an easy fly, which Dehlman secured, and Anson was sent to first on three balls, Bradley being a little wild. He was left, however; Hines sending a hot one to McGeary, which reached first in advance of the striker. Still no runs.

St. Louis-Bradley was easily thrown out at first by Anson, who treated Dehlman in exactly the same way. Mack also favored Anson with a bounder, who this time juggled it for an instant, and the striker was safe. Cuthbert's fine fair foul to left sent Mack to second, and earned the striker a base. Both men were left, as Peters forwarded Clapp's bounder to Glenn in plenty of time. No runs. Score 1 to 0. St. Louis still ahead.

Fourth Inning.

Chicago-Spalding drove a bounder to McGeary and was thrown out at first. Addy was furnished with a back seat in precisely the same way, and as Clapp clutched White's foul bound, the fourth whitewash created much enthusiasm.

St. Louis-Barnes and Glenn furnished McGeary with an out, but Pike reached first on Barnes' juggle. Battin drove an apparently safe fly to center, which Hines captured in style and by a splendid throw to Glenn doubled up Pike. No runs.

Fifth Inning.

Chicago-Peters earned first on an elegant liner to right. Glenn's bounder to Bradley forced Peters out at second, but the striker reached first. Bielaskie's sharp foul tip was well held by Clapp, and as Blong grabbed the high fly sent him by Barnes the fifth consecutive goose egg was placed to the credit of Chicago.

St. Louis-White made a good catch of Battin's foul bound, and Barnes secured Blong's easy fly, after almost allowing it to escape. Bradley earned first on a light fair foul, and reached second on Anson's wild throw. Dehlman also reached first on a patent fair foul, and reached second on Anson's wild throw. Dehlman also reached first on a patent fair foul, and a wild pitch advanced the runners one base each. Mack's foul fly was badly misjudged by Addy, but Bob immediately afterwards gobbled the fair fly sent him, and the side was out; score unchanged.

Sixth Inning.

Chicago-Anson popped the first ball pitched into McGeary's hands, and Hines was retired by Clapp on strikes, the first being called, Pike made a good running catch of Spalding's drive to right center, and Chicago was thereby presented with its sixth coat of lime.

St. Louis-Peters, by a handsome pick-up and throw disposed of Cuthbert at first, and Hines took Clapp's line fly in out of the cold. Addy also froze to the fly sent out in left by McGeary, and the first half of this inning was short and sweet. Score still unchanged.

Seventh Inning.

Chicago-Bradley made a very difficult fly catch of Addy's short hit over his head, and battin and Dehlman furnished White with an out. Clapp made a good catch of Peters' foul fly, and it began to look very much as though the White Stockings were doomed to a "Chicago."

St. Louis-Pike drove a high fly out to Bielaskie, and did not find it necessary to run. Battin's sky scraper was coolly accepted by Spalding, and Blong earned first on a handsome drive to left center. Bradley's base hit and Bielaskie's slow fielding allowed Blong to reach third. Again White's sharp play did the business. Brad started for second, and White feinted as though endeavoring to head him off, thereby catching Blong between third and home, and out Joe went.

Eighth Inning.

Chicago-Glenn furnished Mack with an easy bounder, and was thrown out at first. Bielaskie reached first on Dehlman's excusable muff of Battin's low throw. Barnes was disposed of by Bradley and Dehlman, Bielaskie reaching second, where he was left as Anson's little fly was squeezed like grim death by Battin. Still no runs.

St. Louis-Bradley's foul fly was easily captured by White. Dehlman furnished Bielaskie with a short fly, and Peters aided by Glenn caused Mack to retire. Score still 1 to 0; St. Louis ahead.

Ninth Inning.

Chicago-To Hines, Spalding and Addy was allotted the task of getting that much coveted run. Hinew was first out on a fly direct to Cuthbert. Spalding followed with a hit to exactly the same spot and also sat down, and as Clapp made an elegant pick-up of Addy's foul bound the Whites were defeated, and the cheering was deafening.

St. Louis-Cuthbert and Clapp were disposed of in short order by Peters and Glenn, and McGeary was retired in exactly the same way.

The Browns, as usual, were victorious on their own grounds, and the crowd almost went wild with enthusiasm.
-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 6, 1876


The TGOG Three Stars of the Game:

3. Albert Goodwill Spalding (or maybe John Edgar Clapp)
2. James Laurie White
1. George Washington Bradley

And that's right, I brought out the Rooster.

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